Black Shite From My Keg

[anthony]

Hi all, my beer is kegging nicely with no probs other than occasional (particularly under higher pour pressures and toward end of the keg) I am getting a number of black bits in my glass.

They resemble rubber, and on closer inspection when rubbed between my fingers they can be smeared.

I suspect something might be breaking down in my regulator or my disconnects - rubber seals maybe?

The system works just fine - no leaks, kegs are perfectly clean etc and it happens with all 4 of my kegs.

Anybody ever had similar probs? got any ideas on what it might be? what to replace first?

Starting to worry if I consume to much of what maybe rubber breaking down it might take away from the good health benefits of my brew

 

[Jye]

Hey hopaddict (Nice name )

Pull apart your taps and give them a clean, this is where I get black gunk forming.

 

[Darren]

Hi all, my beer is kegging nicely with no probs other than occasional (particularly under higher pour pressures and toward end of the keg) I am getting a number of black bits in my glass.

They resemble rubber, and on closer inspection when rubbed between my fingers they can be smeared.

I suspect something might be breaking down in my regulator or my disconnects - rubber seals maybe?

The system works just fine - no leaks, kegs are perfectly clean etc and it happens with all 4 of my kegs.

Anybody ever had similar probs? got any ideas on what it might be? what to replace first?

Starting to worry if I consume to much of what maybe rubber breaking down it might take away from the good health benefits of my brew

What are you using as a gas source? Fire extiguisher gas has been know to contain "other" bits and pieces.

cheers

Darren

 

[Whistlingjack]

Remove the posts and inspect the small seal around the dip tubes. When this one goes, your keg may still hold pressure. It could explain the black fragments.

WJ

 

[anthony]

What are you using as a gas source? Fire extiguisher gas has been know to contain "other" bits and pieces.

cheers

Darren

I am using an air liquide gas bottle so it should be good.

The tap scenario sounds like a possibility but I have flushed the tap and lines several times since I acquired the gear.

Maybe my keg/line cleaner chemical has just loosened the material inside the tap? Pretty sure my tape does not come apart.

Cheers.

 

[anthony]

Remove the posts and inspect the small seal around the dip tubes. When this one goes, your keg may still hold pressure. It could explain the black fragments.

WJ

Will do -2 kegs were reco'd so the seals should be good... hoping that if they are breaking up their ok to consume, cause the beer inside the keg is too good to waste.

 

[Jye]

I am using an air liquide gas bottle so it should be good.

The tap scenario sounds like a possibility but I have flushed the tap and lines several times since I acquired the gear.

Maybe my keg/line cleaner chemical has just loosened the material inside the tap? Pretty sure my tape does not come apart.

Cheers.

Flushing will not clean the taps properly, you will need to dismantle them and I dont know of a tap that doesnt come apart.

Post a pic of the tap if your unsure how it comes apart and someone will know how to.

 

[anthony]

Flushing will not clean the taps properly, you will need to dismantle them and I dont know of a tap that doesnt come apart.

Post a pic of the tap if your unsure how it comes apart and someone will know how to.

Thanks Jye, I'll make that my first port of call.

 

[Ross]

As Jye said, it sounds like tap gunk. It's not rubber fragments, as you said they could be smeared between your fingers.
Also the likehood of getting all 4 kegs breaking doing the same would be greater than getting no chill botulism B) .
It you don't weant to strip the taps down, just put them in a bucket of beer/line cleaner to soak & then flush clean water through them.

Cheers Ross

 

[Paul H]

Also the likehood of getting all 4 kegs breaking doing the same would be greater than getting no chill botulism B) .

Cheers Ross

Can you get botulism poisoning from doing No-chill ?

 

[winkle]

Can you get botulism poisoning from doing No-chill ?

Oh please, don't start all that off again

 

[Sammus]

this was happening to one of my taps for a while. It was new and clean though - stopped after a few pours so id forgotten about it till now

 

[roger mellie]

What are you using as a gas source? Fire extiguisher gas has been know to contain "other" bits and pieces.

cheers

Darren

Without sounding beligerent - I thought we dispelled this myth

There is no such thing as Fire Extinguisher gas - there is one grade of CO2. In any case the contaminants would be Heavy Hydrocarbons not black particles.

I think that Jye might be onto something.

RM

 

[tangent]

QUOTE(Paul H @ Dec 22 2007, 01:05 PM)
Can you get botulism poisoning from doing No-chill ?

Oh please, don't start all that off again

hahaha :lol:

 

[Darren]

Without sounding beligerent - I thought we dispelled this myth

There is no such thing as Fire Extinguisher gas - there is one grade of CO2. In any case the contaminants would be Heavy Hydrocarbons not black particles.

RM

RM,

Sure, it does all come from the same source. The difference is that fire-extiguisher fillers do not need to maintain food grade status. Their "extinguisher" grade storage vessel has no requirement or checks (apart from pressure holding ability). Nor does it need to be cleaned. I have personally witnessed a filled fire-extiguisher that spat out blackish crap. Now, whether it was the CO2 or the cylider itself is open to debate.

cheers

Darren

 

[browndog]

This is a timely thread, just yesterday I gave my 4 cellis a good clean. Three were pretty good, but one (and I susspect it is the one that I bought second hand and started using without cleaning it) did not seem to have a nice crisp action to the handle. Well when I dissasembled it, my god, the green goey crap that was in there nearly made me sick. The thought of the beer passing though it on its way to the glass had me mortified. Motto of the story, clean your taps thoroughly and regularly.

cheers

Browndog

 

[PostModern]

Motto of the story, clean your taps thoroughly and regularly.

Having read your story, this is one of my new year resolutions.

 

[joecast]

same thing happens to the tap on my water chiller. :yuck:
though that stuff was only green last time i cleaned it, not black.

 

[redgums500]

Just wondering if anyone had a home made cleaner for taps, beer lines etc. Mine needs a good clean but the chances of getting a commercial cleaner out here on a weekend are zero.

cheers

redgums

 

[Jazzafish]

napisan + Toothbrush.

Flush lines with boiling water.